Ushio and Tora

Ushio and Tora
Cover of the first volume of Ushio and Tora, 2004 re-release
うしおととら (Ushio to Tora)
Genre	Action, Supernatural, Comedy
Manga
Written by	Kazuhiro Fujita
Published by	Shogakukan
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Weekly Shōnen Sunday
Original run	1990 – 1996
Volumes	33
Original video animation
Directed by	Kunihiko Yuyama
Written by	Kenji Terada
Music by	Shirō Sagisu Kei Wakakusa
Studio	Pastel
Licensed by	NA ADV Films
Released	September 11, 1992 – August 1, 1993
Episodes	10
Original video animation
Comical Déformer Ushio & Tora
Directed by	Kunihiko Yuyama
Written by	Kunihiko Yuyama
Music by	Hiroshi Okamoto Etsuko Yamakawa
Studio	Pastel
Released	October 1, 1993
Runtime	30 minutes
Anime television series
Directed by	Satoshi Nishimura
Written by	Toshiki Inoue Kazuhiro Fujita
Music by	Eishi Segawa
Studio	MAPPA, Studio VOLN
Licensed by	AUS Madman Entertainment NA Sentai Filmworks
Original network	Tokyo MX, SUN, KBS, TVA, BS Fuji
Original run	July 3, 2015 – June 24, 2016
Episodes	39 (List of episodes)

Ushio and Tora (Japanese: うしおととら, Hepburn: Ushio to Tora^?) is a supernatural manga by Kazuhiro Fujita. It was adapted into three OVA series: one with six episodes released from September 11, 1992 to February 1, 1993; one with four episodes released from June 11, 1993 to August 1, 1993; and one single episode OVA released on October 1, 1993. The anime was released in the United States by ADV Films. An anime television series adaptation produced by MAPPA and Studio VOLN began airing on July 3, 2015, and finished airing on June 24, 2016. The anime has been licensed by Sentai Filmworks in North America.

Ushio and Tora centers around the travels and battles of Ushio Aotsuki, who is constantly being stalked and aided by a gigantic, supernatural, and sometimes invisible tiger-like monster named Tora.

Ushio's family maintains a temple in Japan, where 500 years ago, his samurai ancestor battled that same monster to a standstill, and eventually trapped him against a rock using a cursed spear called the "Beast Spear", which grants strength, speed, and endurance to the wielder in exchange for his soul. Ushio accidentally unsealed the cave Tora was trapped in.

Initially, Ushio refuses to remove the spear pinning Tora down (as Tora made the strategic blunder of mentioning that the first thing he would do upon being freed would be to devour Ushio), but Tora's unsealed presence attracts various monsters to the temple. Ushio is forced to free Tora, who would like to eat Ushio, but dares not since Ushio keeps the spear close by. The series focuses on their relationship, interspersed with battles against mythological foes, and with Tora's attempts to grapple with modern life. During the regular battles, Ushio slowly begins to notice that as much as Tora claims to be irredeemable, the demon takes to fighting evil and defending the innocent with more enthusasim than he cares to admit.